Top Editor’s picks from Emerging Market Case Studies (EMCS)

January 2024

Marketing Strategy
Livestock Wealth: crowd farming for wealth creation (Published: 20 November 2023): This case study guides post-graduate business students to assess Livestock Wealth’s real-world challenges. Emphasising critical analysis and strategic thinking, it explores CEO Ntuthuko Shezi’s vision of “crowd farming.” Students apply tools like SWOT analysis, PESTLE analysis, and the Ansoff matrix to propose creative solutions for business growth and marketing improvements, considering limited budgets.

Human Resource Management
DRA Global: implementing digital transformation through change management in a project consultancy firm (Published: 20 November 2023)
Suitable for postgraduate and master’s-level students, this case delves into DRA Projects’ digital transformation in the mining and engineering sector. Led by Managing Director J.C. Heslinga, the digitalisation of project delivery faced challenges in employee and client adoption during the rollout. The case offers insights applicable to transformation scenarios in various industries, focusing on organisational change within a real business context.

International Business
Cementing a place in Africa: PPC’s internationalisation drive (Published: 19 October 2023)
At the undergraduate or postgraduate level, this case study examines the internationalisation strategy of Pretoria Portland Cement Company Limited (PPC), led by CEO Roland van Wijnen. Despite expanding into Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Ethiopia, the company faced challenges such as cultural misalignments and macroeconomic analysis, resulting in a deflated share price. The case focuses on van Wijnen’s choices in re-evaluating the international footprint of the 130-year-old South African cement maker.

Operations & Logistics
Cracking the Conundrum of e-Cargo Logistics: Curious Case of LoadExx (Published: 13 November 2023)
LoadExx, an electrified cargo service in Kolkata, faced a pivotal decision four months into operation: expand into the B2C segment locally or replicate the model across the country? This case study, suitable for undergraduates, postgraduates, and senior management, explores electric vehicle business models, market scenarios, and organisational buy-in for new business models.

Strategy
Indigenous activism debut in Brazil: the case of Rumo (20 October 2023)
In this case study, students explore corporate activism as indigenous peoples pressure Rumo S.A. over a railroad project. Learning outcomes include assessing responses to stakeholder activism, understanding nonmarket strategies’ role in corporate governance, and evaluating shareholder power over board decisions. Suited for graduate and executive courses in corporate governance, corporate responsibility, and strategic management.

Entrepreneurship
Sustaining the Sisterhood: Soul Sisters Pakistan (SSP) (Published: 13 December 2023)
Geared towards undergraduates in entrepreneurship, this case centers on Kanwal Ahmed, founder of Soul Sisters Pakistan, facing a critical situation due to COVID-19. Students learn PESTLE framework application with a special focus on socio-cultural nuance, grasp the role of innovation and leadership in entrepreneurial success, and develop monetisation strategies for digital start-ups, emphasising a balance between social aspirations and commercial goals.